Exercise perch for fowl



Jan. 23, 1951 B. J. GASS 2,539,348

EXERCISE PERCH F OR FOWL Filed Dec. 28, 1948 Patented Jan. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXERCISE PERCH FOR FOWL Bernhard 3. Gas, Washington, PD. 0. Application December 28, 1948, Serial No. 61,616

3 Claims. (01.119 24) This invention relates to a perch for birds or fowl that are confined in a coop or the like, and more particularly to an exerciser perch.

Birds and fowls in confinement are apt to suffer from lack of exercise and as any exercise which they take under such conditions is largely governed by their preferences, it is an object of the present invention to provide a perch which is naturally attractive to birds or fowl, and induces them to exercise their foot and leg muscles, and which will in fact exercise most of their muscles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved exerciser perch which can be readily installed in cages or coops for birds in various locations as may appear desirable and which can be adjusted to particular conditions and for particular birds.

Further objects Will more particularly appear in the course of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved perch;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a different size roller; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another of the spacer blocks for adjustably limiting the stroke of the roller.

One of the difiiculties of properly conditioning birds and fowls while in confinement is that of inducing them to take proper exercise. To induce such exercise the environment and facilities must be made to conform to the natural instincts of the bird or fowl so that it will feel disposed to avail itself of the opportunities afforded and use the muscles under such artificial conditions such as it would normally use when not confined.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 7'75,- 549, filed September 22, 1947, of which this application is a continuation-impart, I have disclosed an improved coop structure affording an artificial environment for birds or fowl, inducing exercise calculated to strengthen the thigh and body muscles, and in this application I describe in detail my improved perch which experience indicates is very attractive to birds and which is well calculated to thoroughly exercise and develop the foot, toe and leg muscles.

As herein illustrated, the perch comprises the perch proper l0 which may be of a cylindrical form, as illustrated, and which has secured to each end thereof a roller l2 preferably spaced from the end of the perch proper by a washer H and secured to the perch as by a screw 9. The rollers 12 may be of various diameters, experience indicating that the diameter of the perch is ordinarily satisfactory, but for more timid birds a somewhat larger roller may be used, as indicated in Figure 3, thus making the movement of the perch a little slower.

To support and guide the perch In two end members are provided, each of which includes a base member I preferably having its upper face channeled as at 3 to provide a guideway for the rollers l2. Each of the end pieces further includes a top member 2 which is preferably made of triangular shape so as to provide no horizontal surfaces upon which the bird or fowl can perch. The top members 2 are preferably formed on their lower faces with grooves 4 complementary to the grooves 3 in the base members, and each base member I is associated with its top member 2 by two spacer members 5, which spacer members are in the form of short blocks having tongues 6 formed on their bottom faces adapted to seat in the groove 3 of the base part I, and these spacer members 5 are further provided with longitudinally extending slots 1 adapted to receive securing studs 8 which are passed through the top members 2, the grooves l and into the base members i. By means of this construction it will be apparent that the spacer blocks 5 can be adjusted longitudinally of the grooves 3, thus varying the length of the runways provided for the rollers by the confronting grooved edges of the base and top members and of the stroke of the perch If] as it is rotated by the bird.

The base members I can be secured by means of screws extending through holes !3 or these end supporting members can be otherwise secured as desired, either to the floor, side walls or specially provided supporting pegs, as may be desired.

Various modifications in the precise construction of the device will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. Exerciser perch comprising a perch member havingrafrnller on each end and guide members base and a top member, the confronting faces of said base and top members formed with grooves adapted to respectively receive and guide portions of a perch roller, spacer members separating the top and base members, one at each end of each guide member and means for removably connecting the base, top and spacer members.

2. Exerciser perch as specified in claim 1 in which each spacer member is formed with a vertical slot extending inwardly from its outer end face and the connecting means comprises stud members extending through aligned holes formed in the base and top members and said slot in the end spacer members.

3. Exerciser perch comprising a perch member having a roller at each end, guide members for each roller, each guide member having a base and top portion, the confronting faces of said base and top members grooved to constitute run- 4 ways, spacers one at each end of each runway, each of said spacers formed with a tongue to slidably seat in one of the runway grooves, and means for securing the base, top and spacer members of each guide member in assembled rela- 5 tionship enclosing one of the perch rollers in its runway.

BERNHARD J. GASS.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 Number Name Date 1,192,441 Lydecker July 25, 1916 1,632,380 Marcus June 14, 1927 1,998,197 Lang Apr. 16, 1935 2,101,503 Lang Dec. '7, 1937 

